Sifting Through
by siriusrain
Summary: After receiving the memories of his future self, Shoichi has to decide how to handle himself and what to do next.e


I'll be quick, since most people aren't really interested in the author's notes, but I've got a few important ones.

First off *waves* I'm Rain and thanks for taking the time to read this fic. I'm new to writing for this fandom, but hopefully I'll be successful. I'm open to hearing how I can improve, the only thing that I ask is that if you have a serious issue with characterization, plot, or my grammar that you please contact me via private message and not in public reviews. Nothing against you telling me stuff, just that I'd much rather have these discussions in private. I also don't work with a beta because I don't know anyone in the fandom that could actually provide this service.

Second and last, this is intended to be the start of a larger arc of stories. Reborn has done one great thing for me, and that's gotten me to want to write a whole lot more. There's still so many possibilities and so many different voices that still have the chance to play out. Unless otherwise stated, its probably safe to assume that any Reborn stories I start popping out will be related to the universe that I'm establishing here.

Okay, disclaimer and enjoy.

* * *

**Sifting Through  
**** Featuring Shoichi Irie **

.

Perhaps he hadn't taken it as well as others had. But considering the weight of the entire situation, it seemed impossible for him to take it another way. Shoichi had been unconscious for two days as his mind tried to properly process all of the information that had come to him without warning. He didn't understand what any of it meant, but as he slept he dreamt of what was going to happen to him, or what did. He still wasn't sure.

For a 15 year old boy, it was a great deal to expect to take in. It would still take him another several years before it all finally settled in his mind. At least he understood what he had done going to the future and could understand that it had affected his life and hundreds of others. For the moment however, he logically began to break it down into smaller fragments.

Irie was a very nervous boy, prone to ulcers and stomach pain. He had put himself in the hospital no less than four times in the last year between school work and his frightful trips to the future. So realizing that he actually had strength in him under all of those nerves was incredible. He was...had been...whatever tense was best for it, in the future he was a spy. He controlled hundreds of men and was in charge of a large base completely on his own. He had successfully convinced those hundreds of people that he was not what he seemed.

That being his first revelation was probably one of the best things for him. Whether he realized it or not, as he returned to school, he was holding his head up. He hid from his teachers less, and people were starting to notice him. It wasn't anything deep, but his fellow classmates began to open up to him and he in return. This in turn, just confirmed in his subconscious that he wasn't incapable of being strong and worthwhile.

"You're looking much brighter, Sho-kun," his sister commented one day.

Shoichi blinked in surprise. "Really?"

"Yeah, its good. I haven't even heard you complain about your stomach in a week. You're getting better," she said with a bright smile.

Shoichi didn't know what to say. His sister was often prone to teasing and poking fun at him, so something so complimentary coming from her seemed off. Was he really doing better? Was he really happier? After learning all of the terrible things that he did, it didn't seem possible.

"This was left in the box for you. There wasn't any return address," she said, handing over an envelope addressed to him and heading up to her room without another word.

Shoichi opened the letter worriedly. What if it was another letter from...himself?

_Shoichi-san,_

_I know this is probably sudden, but I just wanted to send you a message. I don't know if you learned what everyone else did. If you didn't then the rest of this probably won't make any sense. I was hoping that you were all right. If you need anything, we do live in the same town and I think you know where I live, right? I did want to say, thanks again. We couldn't have done it without you._

_Sawada Tsunayoshi_

A small smile crept onto Shoichi face, a mixture of amusement and relief. Well at least there weren't any new problems. He remembered the stuttering nervousness of the young Vongola and he could practically hear him reading the note aloud. It was just like the Sky Boss to be worried. It was fairly tempting to reach out to Tsuna and speak with him about everything that had happened. He did at one point agree to fall under the Vongola banner, but now he wasn't so sure. That wasn't where he had really belonged.

Shoichi blinked as it occurred to him how truthful the statement was. The Vongola were good and he could easily become more friendly with them, but that wasn't where he needed to be. If he had to say he was anything...it was Millfiore.

* * *

Shoichi closed the book he had been writing in and tucked it into his desk. He turned on his stereo and laid out on his bed. Looking up at the ceiling, he went back to his thoughts about the Millfiore. He had spent the last several weeks taking time out of his studying to write out his memories of the ten years that led up to their inevitable fight. He jotted down thoughts about everyone and anyone that he had come across. It was hard to claim that many in Millfiore were good people. A great number of them were not. The Black Spell being some of the biggest exceptions. Many of them were simply dealing with poor circumstances.

The reality of the situation lied in his statement to Tsuna about how happy he was with Byakuran before he remembered what he needed to do. Byakuran had been charming and stimulated his mind into always pushing his boundaries. They always challenged one another with Choice, invention ideas, and the psychology of the world and people around them. They had fun going through school and discussing what they would do in the future.

Then came reality. Shoichi began to focus on how to stop or at least slow down Byakuran. Meanwhile, Byakuran began to build his army. They had begun to go their own paths even if they continued to similar goals.

Shoichi frowned up at the ceiling. Why couldn't they have stayed that way? What had really pushed Byakuran to such a point? Seeing the harsh reality of life could change someone drastically, but did it really mean that he should go to such extremes? Was there something that he could have done to change things?

The young man shook his head, rolling onto his stomach and pressing his face into his pillow. When did he start thinking like this? He was starting to sound like some old man bemoaning the world. He was 15 years old. He shouldn't have to be dealing with these kinds of issues. It was becoming harder and harder to remember that he wasn't in fact 25 years old. He didn't do more than share the memories of another...well him.

It wasn't as if he could really ignore the memories, but it wouldn't hurt to not have to deal with them. He still had school to finish and he needed to keep focusing on his grades. Now that he didn't have music, he only had his wits to carry him.

With a sigh Shoichi pulled himself out of his bed and collected his school books. There were all of the usual subjects there, but he wondered if he would benefit from something else. In the future he was considered a genius inventor, and that wasn't really something terrible. He could handle that. It was interesting and it did entertain him almost as much as music had.

The redhead took out a fresh sheet of paper and started to make a list of subjects he would need to start looking into. He needed to start collecting supplies as well and a separate list for that was next. A computer seemed to be high priority and it wasn't going to be easy getting his hands on one. In theory, he recalled his ability to put one together from scratch, but actually doing it would be a totally different story. He also didn't have money to put it together. Shoichi could ask his parents for extra money, but without any proper explanation it would be hard. He might actually have to start looking for a job after school. That would make it much harder to find time to study.

"This...doesn't seem all that terrible," Shoichi said to himself. With a plan in place, he felt stronger and his stomach pains were nearly nonexistent.

He dove into his studying with a renewed fervor. He needed to brush up on his physics and push himself harder in math, but he could do this. If he tried he could make it to a robotics competition in high school. If he did all of this then...then perhaps he could reach that place where he was suited to. Or gain the...Famiglia he had helped build. Hopefully this time it would go a bit better.

* * *

"Sho-kun, there's a package for you!"

Shoichi rushed downstairs to collect the package before his nosy sister could start poking at it. He had more than a few items coming in and he was eager to start on his newest project. He snatched the package and ran back up to his room.

In the privacy of his room, he noticed for the first time that the package was clearly not from Japan. It was labelled Italy and he was more confused. The return address was only labelled with an S so it hardly explained who it was from. He tore into the package curiously and his eyes grew wide to see the robotic parts and wires that covered the box.

A letter sat on top and he winced at the terrible scratched out katakana. It took him a while, but he managed to translate it.

_Shoichi,_

_I hope this arrives in one piece. I'm having a terrible time working through this problem and no one else seems to have an ounce of understanding. I thought I could contact you through the computers, but you're nowhere to be found. Did you take an alias that you didn't tell me about?_

The redhead laughed at the scrawl. He flipped through the other pages of the letter which had schematics for a rudimentary robotic. It was very apparent that it was modeled after a Mosca, so there was no confusion about who the letter was from. He hadn't expected Spanner to even know what this was, much less how to find him. They had never spoken before this and Shoichi hadn't become so involved in programming and robotics until after he learned about what had happened in the future.

It was obvious that the problem wasn't in the mechanics of the creation, but in the programming of the robot. Spanner must have been having trouble finding the answers he was looking for and sought out the one he suspected would have the answers immediately. Unfortunately, Shoichi didn't have the answers at that moment. He couldn't even begin connecting into the robot to determine what was wrong with it. His computer was completed, but it was hardly capable of handling such a task.

He rushed to his desk and began a new set of lists. He had to begin putting together a new system and fill in the holes of his knowledge so he could complete the complex programming that this would obviously require. First thing to take care of, he turned on his computer to do.

Using the email address on the bottom of the letter, Shoichi composed a simple email response in English.

_I'm working on it. Don't try to write in Japanese again._

* * *

_fin_

Thanks for reading one more time. I'm trying to develop Shoichi a bit here to help establish what happens next for him. How he gets involved in the Arcobaleno arch at the end of the manga, etc. I do enjoy starting like this because it helps me get a feel for the character I'm trying to write for. A new story will be coming once I get the details worked out and I'll start bringing in others.


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